Of Specs and Spilled Ebony
by toeloops
Summary: After the events in Altissia, Prompto takes it upon himself to care for Ignis as he recovers from his injuries. After a simple task gone wrong leads to frustration for Ignis, Prompto provides him with a gift that he hopes will brighten up his spirits. Prompto discovers just how monumental such a small gesture was, and how forever grateful Ignis is to have the gunner in his life.


_I wrote this way before Episode Ignis was released and ended up finding it again and revising it ever so slightly so it would still sort of tie in with Episode Ignis. I still left a lot of what happened pretty vague, almost as if Ignis developed a slight bit of amnesia following the events of his DLC, and as he recovers physically he starts to remember more and more of what happened during that time._

_._

_._

_._

* * *

He was numb; trapped in a frozen heat that even he couldn't strategize his way out of. All was silent, save for the pounding of his heart in his ears- that eerie thumping that he knew he wouldn't be able to escape. It was as if time stood still. What had started out as a simple evacuation soon turned into a nightmare as the chancellor came striding into view. He was trapped, unable to run- unable to turn back time. His legs felt as though they had been superglued to the floor and his breath hitched in his throat as the darkness began to envelop him. Heat surrounded him, Ardyn's smirk widened, and the clarity that he was ever so passionate about dissipated into a neverending void of blackness.

* * *

The hotel room was nothing special. It wasn't as though they had enough gil to pay for any sort of quality living space, especially after all of their medical expenses, Ignis' in particular. The strategist couldn't help but feel a slight pang of guilt at the thought of being the cause of their lack of finances, but at least they had a roof over their heads. They weren't forced to camp out in their current conditions. No, that wouldn't do. Not with Noctis out of it and Ignis in his current state. They needed their own space, and proper beds.

Ignis sat in bed, propped up by pillows, bandages wrapped around his head and eyes, his usually perfectly-styled hair quite the mess as a result. Instead of his typical fitted button downs, he wore a black oversized tank - one of Gladio's - over his heavily-bandaged chest and ribs. His left arm and hand were wrapped as well. He was sure that he looked quite as terrible as he felt. Ardyn had really done a number on him. He just wished he could remember exactly _what_ had happened that day. His only clear recollection was of a bright light, then searing pain, followed by the chancellor's sadistic grin coming into view. Everything else was a muddled mess of darkness.

Ignis was so lost in his thoughts over trying to piece together this puzzle in his mind that he wasn't even aware of the soon-to-be presence in his room. His heart nearly lept out of his chest at the sound of the door creaking open and he instinctively stiffened, still feeling much more on guard than usual, now that his favorite sense had been ripped from him.

"Sorry man, I probably should've knocked, huh?" a voice came from the direction of the doorway followed by an awkward chuckle. Good, it was just Prompto. God forbid if it had been Noctis. He did not want to break the news to Noctis this way.

Ignis visibly relaxed at the sound of the younger male's voice and shook his head, trying to play off his tension from just a moment ago. "It's quite alright," he responded, turning his head towards the sound of the other male's footsteps before they stopped, presumably near the bed.

"Whatever you say, boss," Prompto replied with a laugh, trying to keep things as light-hearted as possible. He still felt slightly awkward around Ignis since the incident. Much like Gladio, he too felt responsible for Ignis' current predicament. If only he had done more. He resolved to do as much for Ignis now though, both to make things easier on the older male and to assuage some of the guilt residing inside himself. "So uhh... how ya doing, buddy?" he asked. Ignis could hear the shuffling of items on the nightstand next to the bed and the sound of a tray being set down. Not a moment later, he could feel a dip in the bed, which he determined to be Prompto sitting down next to him, turning his body to face him.

"None the worse for wear," Ignis answered with a small smile. Prompto visibly flinched, his eyes squinting behind his glasses and his body curling in slightly upon itself. He was inwardly glad that Ignis didn't see that. Ignis was far from relatively unscathed, but then again, Prompto had never met someone as glaringly positive as Ignis.

"Heh, glad to hear." He reached forward and placed a hand on the other male's forehead and sighed a sigh of relief. "No fever, that's good." The last thing they needed was for one of Iggy's wounds to become infected. Ever since Ignis had been released into their care, Prompto had assigned himself the position of nurse. Ignis was honestly surprised at the young male's medical knowledge, but considering that Prompto had practically raised himself, it made sense for him to have some familiarity with the human body. "I brought you some food. I-It's soup. It's the recipe that you make when I'm feeling gross. Thought it'd be better than Cup Noodles and rice balls. Not sure if it tastes the same as your cooking... but you know, thought I'd give it a try," he chuckled. Ignis' cooking always managed to help him feel better and brighten his spirits a bit when he was feeling at his worst, so he figured he would return the favor. "I got you a can of Ebony too." Ignis' heart swelled at the thought. It was amazing how much something as simple as coffee could brighten one's day.

"Thank you, Prompto. This is... much appreciated." He was honestly blown away by how attentive Prompto had been. He hadn't heard much from Gladio and Noctis was still unconscious, but Prompto hadn't missed a beat. He'd been at his side through it all.

Prompto nodded, despite the fact that Ignis couldn't see it. Force of habit, really. "Hey man, no problem." Ignis could feel the bed shift once again as Prompto stood up, grabbing the tray off of the nightstand and setting it in Ignis' lap. "Spoon is on the right side of the tray, and the bowl's right next to that. It's only filled a little over halfway; didn't want it to spill. If you want more, I can get more for ya though. Ebony is..." he plucked the can off the tray and popped it open before setting it back down, "right above the spoon. Now at least, haha," he laughed. He was trying to be as specific as possible, so that Ignis could retain some semblance of independence. Ignis was the last person in the group to want to be smothered, so Prompto made sure to keep a respectful distance, but still do what he could to help out. Ignis hadn't seemed to complain so far, which to Prompto meant that he was doing something right. Oh how he hoped he was.

Ignis muttered a small "thank you" before getting to work, first using his good hand to feel for the location of the bowl and only reaching for the spoon once he had his bearings. He ate with slow, calculated movements, with the very occasional fumble, and Prompto couldn't help but stare. None of this sat right with him. He wanted so badly to reach out and help his friend, but he wasn't going to overstep his boundaries.

He regret that the moment Ignis' hand went for the coffee. Ignis had miscalculated his reach ever so slightly and before you could say "chocobo," the drink tumbled off the tray and onto the bed before rolling off to its final resting place on the floor with a plop.

Ignis was silent. Honestly, Prompto would have preferred if he had screamed. Instead, he stiffened, his lips pressed into a thin line as he took a few deep breaths through his nose. "My apologies," he stated softly. He shouldn't be angry or embarrassed about something as simple as a cup of coffee but damnit he was. Prompto knew that Ignis had been frustrated that even the smallest of tasks were monumentally more difficult since his injury, and that it would take a while before things would get easier. He hated to see what the coming weeks would bring. It was going to be rough - Ignis would have to re-learn how to do everything. Prompto was confident though. Ignis wasn't one to give up.

"Hey man, it's cool. Nothin' we can't clean up. Besides, I gotta change those bandages for ya so might as well do it all at once!" Prompto was really trying to stay positive. He moved to place the tray back on the bedside table and helped Ignis into a chair before removing the sheets and replacing them with new ones. "Good as new. Hey, remember that time... when we were driving in the Regalia, and we hit a bump and my drink went flying right into Noct's lap?" He couldn't help but laugh at the memory. "He looked like he wet his pants."

Ignis smiled at the thought. "Yes, His Highness was far from regal that day. At least the Regalia was mostly spared."

"Haha, yeah, thanks to Noct's clothes. What the heck does he wear, sponges or something?"

"It would seem that way, wouldn't it?"

"Ah... Good times." Prompto smiled, approaching the chair after gathering a supply of fresh bandages into his arms. "So uhh... here or on the bed?" He didn't realize how awkward that sounded until he had said it, but Ignis didn't seem to pay it any mind.

"Here is fine." He didn't want to move just yet. He felt weak and his balance was still quite off. It had been an adventure just trying to get this far.

Prompto hummed in affirmation, leaning over to grasp the bottom of Iggy's tank, his heart fluttering as the other male lifted his arms for Prompto to remove the article of clothing. He couldn't help it. He had always admired Ignis and spending all of this time alone with the man did nothing but propel that admiration into uncharted territory. Hands rough from wielding weapons reached out, tugging gently at the many bandages wrapped around Ignis' chest and loosening them enough to pull away with minimal effort. Burns and scrapes littered Ignis' once pristine skin, and a large yellow-blue bruise rested just over his ribs on his left side. Prompto sucked in a breath. His wounds were on the mend, but that didn't mean that he liked looking at them. It only added to the guilty twinge in his heart.

"How does it look?" Ignis questioned as Prompto applied the proper medication and began to re-bandage the wounds.

"A lot better than before," he replied honestly. "That too tight?"

Ignis shook his head. "Not at all. I appreciate it."

"Happy to help, buddy." Prompto smiled, moving onto the bandages wrapped around Ignis' eyes. The older male kept his eyes shut, wincing slightly as the wraps were taken away. "Sorry, is it too bright?" Prompto asked. Ignis gave him a grunt of affirmation. Despite losing his eyesight, bright lights still seemed to have an effect on him. Even when he kept his eyes closed, a sudden change in lighting could result in a migraine. Those weren't fun on a good day, and even less in his current state. "Hold on a sec," he stated as his presence suddenly vanished from Iggy's side. Prompto certainly lived up to his name. In a matter of seconds, he had flipped off the main lights in the room and left a small lamp on, just enough so that he could see what he was doing. "Better?" he asked, returning to Ignis' side once again. Ignis nodded. That was a much-needed improvement from the glaring brightness just a moment ago. "Good! Let's see... it's looking a lot better, Iggy. Seriously. I think you'll be able to ditch the bandages now and, ah - I almost forgot!" He detached himself from Ignis so quickly that the man didn't even have time to open his mouth to question before Prompto returned, eagerly grabbing him by his good arm and shoving something somewhat cold and metallic into his hand.

"What is this?" Ignis asked curiously, his eyes remaining softly shut even as his head turned to face Prompto's general direction.

"Your glasses got pretty beat up in the fight but the frames survived somehow. I know how much they mean to you so I got them fitted with darker lenses. Sunglasses, to uhh, help with the light sensitivity and stuff."

Ignis took in a breath, and for a moment Prompto had thought that he had done something wrong, but those thoughts were pushed out of his mind the moment Ignis reached out, feeling for the younger male before pulling him into his arms, his head gently resting on Prompto's shoulder as he let out a shuddering gasp thst gave way to a series of quiet, choked-off sobs. Prompto's heart was pounding in his ears. To say he was caught off-guard was an understatement. Ignis was clinging to _him. _Ignis was letting his guard down in front of _him. _Sharing an intimacy like this with Ignis was all that he had ever wanted, but he had just wished it was under different circumstances. Prompto gently rubbed his back, careful not to upset his injuries, and whispered sweet words of encouragement in his ear. "Hey, it's okay. I'm here for you, buddy. You're okay, I gotcha."

Ignis sniffed, shaking his head slightly as he pulled away and opened his eyes - those piercing blue eyes that had been dulled to a gray-ish white due to injury - and focused them not just in the general direction of the blond, but as if he was looking directly into Prompto's eyes. "I apologize, Prompto. I'm quite alright. I just... I suppose I'm a bit overwhelmed." He paused, closing his eyes and tightening his grip on his glasses. "You have no idea how much this means to me." Prompto had gone out of his way to not only retrieve his glasses but to fit them with lenses that would better suit his current needs. His glasses were not just an accessory to him – they were an extension of him. He had never felt complete without his glasses. Before the accident, his eyewear provided him with the clarity that he always treasured... and now they would provide him with comfort – with familiarity.

"Hey, you're always taking care of me when my stomach is freaking out, so it's the least I could do. I want you to be comfortable." He meant it. He couldn't count how many times Ignis had been there when he had been as absolutely and violently sick to one's stomach as one could be. Because of that(well, not just that, if he was being completely honest), he wanted to return the favor in every way that he could.

Ignis' lips curled into a small smile as he opened his eyes once more, his focus rather off compared to moments before. "And how many times did you bring that suffering upon yourself, hmm?"

The gunner was slightly taken aback, but not a moment later he too could feel a smile forming on his face and laughter welling side of him. With an exaggerated whine, he opened his mouth to speak. "I'm weak, Iggy! I'm so weak!" he cried out dramatically. He really was. While there were plenty of instances where he had accidentally come into contact with foods that upset his digestive system, there were more times where he just couldn't restrain himself. He needed to stop doing that. Especially since doing that did nothing but continue to damage his insides. "Or maybe I just want your attention," he blurted out.

"I don't believe you to be the type to intentionally poison yourself to garner my attention."

"Ya got me there." Prompto was only partially speaking the truth. To be perfectly transparent though, he did find immense comfort and contentment when Ignis was there to look after him. He never had the opportunity to be cared for growing up, or if he had he certainly couldn't remember it. Before he came into Noct and the other's lives, he had been left to fend for himself. So for all of them... for Ignis... to show him love and compassion... it was like a breath of fresh air to him. "But to be honest... it means a lot to me... that you care, I mean. You have no idea." He stopped himself suddenly. "But we're supposed to be talking about you, dude."

"Nothing wrong with getting a little sidetracked in conversation." Ignis smiled, not at all put off by the change in subject. "You can always come to me for anything, Prompto. Never forget that."

"Thanks, Iggy. For everything."

"And thank you, for being here for me. This..." he held up the glasses and carefully slid them on his face, "means more to me than you will ever know."

Prompto took a long look at Ignis in his(somewhat) new glasses. That was the Ignis that he knew. The glasses really did complete him and for a just a flickering moment, it was like he was staring back at the old Ignis. As quickly as that feeling came it left as reality came crashing down on him. It was his turn to let out a sob and pull Ignis into his arms, still being careful as to remain mindful of the other male's injuries. "I'm sorry," he cried, his tears falling freely behind his glasses. "I'm so sorry. I should have done more," Prompto hiccuped, "I should have done something!" Prompto felt absolutely useless - absolutely worthless over the fact that he hadn't been able to do more for Ignis.

"Now now, you did everything you could, Prompto." Ignis tried to reassure him. "I assure you that you have absolutely nothing to apologize for. Sometimes... sometimes one has to make sacrfices... to keep others safe." There were still gaps in Ignis' memory, but the one thought that stood out in his mind was that he did indeed give up his sight to protect Noctis – to protect them - to protect _him_. He couldn't quite remember the how or why yet, but something tugged at his heart, ensuring him that he did indeed give up that which meant so much to him for the others' sake. "While I cannot say that I am truly happy with the outcome..." he trailed off, choosing to be honest here. Ignis missed his sight considerably, and it would take quite some time before he became used to this new normal of his, there was no denying that fact, " I would do it all again in a heartbeat if it meant protecting not only Noct, but Gladio... and you as well. Prompto, I... care for you... more than you know."

Prompto pulled away, his blue eyes wide behind the frames of his glasses, tear streaks staining his freckled cheeks and his mouth falling open ever so slightly at Ignis' words. "You... you what?" He wasn't entirely sure what he was hearing.

"My apologies. I'm not always the best at articulating my thoughts." He commented. That was bullshit. No one was more articulate than Ignis. "Let me show you." Ignis carefully reached his good arm out and felt for Prompto's face, his fingers tracing the soft skin of his cheek before settling gently against his lips, taking in the warmth of his skin before leaning in and gently pressing his own lips to Prompto's in a tender kiss. He lingered there for a moment, tasting the salt from their tears that had settled on their lips before pulling away.

Prompto could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He had been rendered completely speechless. Ignis had kissed him. He honestly couldn't believe this was actually happening.

"Prompto? Is everything alright?" Ignis, having been unable to see the other man's reaction, was concerned that he had stepped out of line.

The gunner simply responded by crashing his lips against Ignis', this time deepening the kiss ever so slightly, a favor that Ignis was quick to return. Ignis pressed onward, his tongue exploring the other male's mouth, running along his well-lined teeth and causing Prompto's body to shudder against his as their tongues tangled with one another in a battle for dominance.

Prompto let out a soft moan as he pulled away, wanting nothing more than to continue to kiss Ignis but also in desperate need of air. "What... what do you think?" Prompto asked breathily.

"I take that as a yes."

"Very perceptive of you." A pause. "So uhh... we're dating now?"

Ignis laughed. "How very perceptive of you."

"I love you."

"I love you too, Prompto."


End file.
